College Football Stock Watch: Who Is Rising and Falling Post-Spring Games?
Across the nation, spring football 2015 is almost completely in the books. Almost all of America's FBS programs have finished their spring drills, with only two programs (Hawaii and Oregon) left to hold spring games this weekend.
College football coaches have 15 practices and a spring game to evaluate while players dive into offseason workouts, honing technique and preparing themselves for the grind of another long season beginning in early August.
Inevitably, some players and programs were impressive while others were left with questions entering the summer. Here's a look at who is rising and falling as spring wraps up.
Rising: Michigan State WR DeAnthony Arnett
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When DeAnthony Arnett transferred to Michigan State from Tennessee, he was expected to play a big role in the Spartans offense. That hasn't happened. He has just six catches in two seasons, making two catches for 11 yards as a junior.
But Michigan State has major opportunity in its passing game this fall. The Spartans are trying to replace leading receiver Tony Lippett, who had 1,198 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2014, as well as No. 2 receiver Keith Mumphery, who had 495 yards and three touchdowns.
The 5'11", 180-pound Arnett was very impressive this spring, making a team-leading five catches in Michigan State's spring game and showing excellent chemistry with senior quarterback Connor Cook. Macgarrett Kings and Aaron Burbridge will be key weapons for Cook, but Arnett looks ready for a senior-year breakout.
Rising: Alabama WR Chris Black
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Alabama's wide receiver room might as well have had a "Help Wanted: Apply Inside" sign hanging on its door this spring. With Biletnikoff Award winner Amari Cooper (124 receptions, 1,727 yards, 16 touchdowns) gone along with No. 2 receiver DeAndrew White, chances to contribute abound.
One player who took advantage? Junior Chris Black, whom 247Sports regarded highly as a recruit when he arrived on campus in 2012 but has had trouble cracking the wide receiver rotation on a consistent basis. Last fall, he had 15 receptions for 188 yards and no touchdowns.
This spring, Black, who stands 5'11", 186 pounds, has taken advantage of his newly found chance to shine. He has emerged as Alabama's top receiver ahead of fellow spring standouts like Robert Foster and ArDarius Stewart.
The Crimson Tide will welcome a talented receiver class this summer and still has uncertainty at quarterback, with Jake Coker leading a young group into preseason practice, but Black figures to make an impact this fall—at last.
Falling: Clemson Defensive Depth
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Clemson had become known for its offense under then-offensive coordinator Chad Morris, but last fall, a successful 10-win season was built around a nasty, stingy defense. The Tigers led the nation in total defense but suffered heavy losses, returning only three starters while replacing all but two members of their defensive line two-deep.
With talented players like defensive end Shaq Lawson, cornerback Mackensie Alexander, safety Jayron Kearse and linebacker Ben Boulware, the Tigers defense shouldn't experience a huge drop-off this fall. But coach Dabo Swinney still has concerns about depth and experience as Clemson enters offseason workouts, as he told reporters on last week's ACC post-spring teleconference.
"The difference in our defense is the depth, and not the talented depth but just the experience. Last year we were just so experienced, and our second team was as good as our first team. Whereas this year, our first group is really, really good. I mean, not a huge difference between Shaq Lawson and Vic Beasley. Shaq is going to bring some certain things to the table that Vic didn't.
So there's a lot of positives. DJ Reader, Carlos Watkins, Kevin Dodd, Ben Boulware, B.J. Goodson, our secondary is going to be as good as it's been since we've been here. So first group is very, very solid. But the biggest difference for us is we just don't have the experienced depth. We have talented depth, but it's very inexperienced, and that's going to be the key to our defense. First of all, we've got to get a little lucky and hope that we can kind of keep those front-line guys healthy, but how quickly we can develop the young talent that we have and get them game ready to where they can help us out.
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.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Rising: Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh
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Jim Harbaugh has yet to coach a game that matters at Michigan, but the Wolverines' fiery new leader is certainly winning the public relations war. He drew 60,000 fans to Michigan's spring game, which ranks No. 7 nationally, and hasn't shied away from making headlines off the field.
While SEC coaches fumed about the Big Ten's usage of "satellite camps," exploiting a loophole that allows programs to attend prospect camps held more than 50 miles away from campus, Harbaugh took another tact.
Michigan will attend nine camps off campus this summer, but Harbaugh scored a major PR victory when he invited coaches from every program in America to attend Michigan's camp. Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press called it a coy move. It changed the conversation, and while coaches might not show up, SEC programs can't say that Michigan didn't give them the chance.
Harbaugh has questions at quarterback and on offense in general, and Michigan could suffer through some growing pains in 2015. But it's clear that he is a forward thinker who has the Wolverines pointed in the right direction.
Rising: Virginia QB Matt Johns
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Entering spring practice, Matt Johns trailed Greyson Lambert in the race to become Virginia's starting quarterback. Last fall, Johns threw for 1,109 yards with eight touchdowns against five interceptions, but he started three games while Lambert, who threw for 1,632 yards with 10 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, started nine.
However, Johns completely flipped the script this spring. He outplayed Lambert and won the starting role going into preseason practice, and as Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post reports, UVA coach Mike London told reporters that "it wasn't close":
"Matt did the best job. He was most productive. He was most efficient. It wasn't close. If it was close we'd still be talking about going into August camp still fighting for the same position. But Matt clearly did what he was supposed to do.
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This is a huge season for London, who is fighting to keep his job at Virginia. The Cavaliers haven't been to a bowl since 2011 and just missed one last season at 5-7. Johns hasn't locked down the job for 2015 yet, but this is a big step.
Falling: Kansas State Quarterbacks
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Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has a big conundrum this spring. How does he replace do-everything quarterback Jake Waters, who led the Wildcats to nine wins in 2014 while throwing for 3,501 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions and adding 484 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground?
This spring, he held a three-way quarterback derby that appears no closer to being settled at spring's end than it was at its beginning.
Mobile freshman Alex Delton has potential as a thrower and runner, but he was uneven in the spring game, completing three of 12 passes and rushing for 44 yards. Junior Joe Hubener has a 6'4", 205-pound frame and is the most experienced but didn't seize the job this spring. He completed seven of 19 passes for 67 yards with an interception in the spring game.
Sophomore Jesse Ertz has a good arm and had the best stats in the spring game, completing nine of 15 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. But he also threw a pick-six, which is reason for concern.
Snyder would surely have preferred for one quarterback to emerge this spring. But that didn't happen, which will breed uncertainty as the season edges closer.
Falling: Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield
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Baker Mayfield entered spring with an excellent opportunity at Oklahoma. The Texas Tech transfer walked into a perfect situation with the Sooners offense. Two years ago, he impressed observers as a freshman, throwing for 2,315 yards with 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions for the Red Raiders before transferring to OU.
While Mayfield sat, he watched Trevor Knight struggle as a sophomore, throwing for 2,300 yards with 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. OU coach Bob Stoops overhauled the offense, bringing in East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, a proponent of the air raid passing offense that Mayfield ran at Tech.
He had the chance to stand out this spring but didn't necessarily take advantage of it, throwing a pair of interceptions in the Sooners spring game. Mayfield will enter fall in competition for the job, but consider the failure to take control an opportunity lost.
Rising: Florida WR Brandon Powell
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As he takes the reins at Florida, new coach Jim McElwain is exploring all options to revitalize an offense that was profoundly moribund under Will Muschamp's watch. He appears to have hit on one in sophomore Brandon Powell.
Powell stands 5'9", 181 pounds and was recruited to Florida as a tailback but split time between the backfield and wide receiver in 2014, piling up 217 total yards with two touchdowns and 15 receptions as a wide receiver.
Although he was sidelined for the final half of spring with a foot injury, Powell impressed by filling a variety of roles in the offense, including lining up as a slot receiver and taking carries out of the backfield. He is a solid route-runner and has a dynamic presence that will make opposing defenders take notice no matter where he's lined up.
Rising: UCLA QB Josh Rosen
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UCLA doesn't have many holes to fill entering 2015, but one of the most glaring is at quarterback following star Brett Hundley's early departure to the NFL draft. However, the Bruins apparently already have a high-quality replacement ready.
True freshman Josh Rosen enrolled early and went through spring practice at UCLA, and he was rated as the nation's top pro-style quarterback prospect, per 247Sports. That is high praise, and Rosen, who stands 6'4", 205 pounds, has lived up to it.
While coach Jim Mora says he won't name a starter until fall, Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times said that Rosen is the leader and was the best quarterback in UCLA's spring game, completing 13 of 17 passes. He is competing with Asiantii Woulard and Jerry Neuheisel but appears to be the clear leader in the clubhouse to start under center in 2015.
Rising: Utah QB Travis Wilson
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Utah had a very solid 2014 season, going 9-4 and blowing out Colorado State in the Las Vegas Bowl. It was a big improvement for the Utes, especially after a pair of 5-7 seasons. But quarterback Travis Wilson didn't always share in the success.
Wilson was much more efficient, throwing for 18 touchdowns against five interceptions with 2,170 yards passing a year after throwing 16 touchdowns against 16 interceptions. But he was on the verge of losing his job to backup Kendal Thompson before Thompson suffered a season-ending injury. He had only one 300-yard passing game, throwing for 311 yards in the regular-season finale against Colorado.
This spring, Wilson has solidified his spot atop the quarterback depth chart and appears solidly entrenched as he enters his final season at Utah. For the Utes to repeat and build on 2014's success, they'll need a more consistent campaign from Wilson.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
